The heartbeat of contemporary art is found in the exhibition "ENERGY Athens 2023"

Artists of all age groups, and all artistic mediums come together each year to make an artistic statement. It is the 13th year that "The European Centre for Architecture Art, Design and Urban Studies in collaboration with the Chicago Athenaeum Museum for Architecture and Design " hosts this event, making a contemporary artistic statement.

Visitors will come to meet artists of all age groups, showcasing their work via different mediums: painting, sculpture, ceramics, mosaics, photography, architecture etc. The energy of more than 70 artists are brought together to portray the art of today in a stunning 3-story, renovated building.

Opening: Friday, January 20th, 2023 from 18:00 to 21:00

Duration : January 20th to February 26th, 2023

Visiting hours: Wed-Sunday12.00 to 19.00.

Venue: The European Centre, Mitropoloes 74, Plaka Athens

(Monastiraki train stop)

I'm happy to participate with a mixed media painting, which has a contemporary view on Goddess Aphrodite's birth. Symbolism is hugely incorporated in my artwork - I have soft spot for stories and the portrayal of something to mean something else. My past research on how the Olympian gods and their human traits can be reflected in you and me, I got a lot of myths stuck in my head. And this is how

"Wake up, Aphrodite" came about. Lots of acrylics, modeling paste and sculpting with medium gels and the hidden story of Hera in Aphrodite's birth story.. So, the myth goes, that Hera unknowingly breastfed Hercules (Zeus snuck him in her bed when asleep, so that he may obtain some godly strengths since his real mother was a mortal). She wakes up and flings him off her, the milk flying in the sky becomes the Milky way - and the droplets that fell to the ground, grew into perfect, white, calla lilies.

The beautiful flower made Aphrodite so jealous that she cursed it with an unsightly yellow spike in the middle. Ancient cultures see the spike’s phallic nature; Egyptians connected the flower with fertility, and the Romans see is as a symbol of sexuality. The white doves symbolize innocence, purity and freedom.

Let's see who will be able to wake her up.